Device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stem for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs



March 1968 v. F. BELOUSOV ETAL 3,3

DEVICE FOR THE ROTATION AND FEEDING OF A DRILLING STEM FOR ROTARY AND PERCUSSIVE-ROTARY DRILLING RIGS 2 Sheets$heet 1 Filed 001;. 14, 1964 FIG. 1

March 1968 v. F. BELOUSOV ETAL 3 5 DEVICE FOR THE ROTATION AND FEEDING OF A DRILLING STEM FOR ROTARY AND PERCUSSIVEHOTARY DRILLING RIGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1964 9 w I J, 7

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United States Patent 6 DEVICE FOR THE ROTATION AND FEEDING OF A DRlLLlNG STEM FOR ROTARY AND PERCUS- SIVE-ROTARY DRILLING RIGS Vasily Fedorovich Belousov, Cheljabinsk, Stanislav Nickolaevich Zhilin, Kopeislc, and Vladimir Dmitrievich Butlrin, Cheljabinslr, U.S.S.R., assignors to Nauchno- Issledovatelsky i Proektno-Konslruktorsky Institute p Dohyche Poleznylrh Iskopaemykh Otkrytym Sposobom, Cheljabinsk, USS-R.

Filed Oct. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 403,847 '7 Claims. (Cl. 173-148) The present invention relates to rotary-feeding devices for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs with a rotary table disposed in the lower part of a rig.

According to the principle of their operation, the known rotary-feeding devices for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs may be divided into three categories.

The first group comprises devices in which the drilling rod is rotated by a rotor, the feeding effort being transmitted to the face end of the drilling rod through a swivel by means of flexible connections, e.g. ropes, pulled by a winch or by actuating cylinders. The swivel moves along the guides of a stationary mast.

In devices of the second group the rotation and feeding efforts are transmitted to the drilling rod through a chuck connected with a crossarm and moving along the guides of a stationary mast with the help of two actuating cylinders.

In devices of the third group the rotation and feeding efforts are transmitted to the face end of the drilling rod through a rotary table performing a forward motion along the guides of a stationary mast. The feeding effort is transmitted to the rotary table either directly from the rods of actuating cylinders or through a system of flexible connections, e.g. a system of pulley blocks.

Each of the known types of rotary-feeding devices has its own disadvantages.

The use of a system of ropes complicates the design of rotary-feeding devices of the first type. Ropes may break, and, besides that, to carry out the feeding, not only actuating cylinders but also a winch is necessary.

As the pressing efforts upon the rig frame are, to some extent, transferred to the mast, the latter is usually made bulky, which brings about a considerable increase in its weight. Moreover, much time is spent on auxiliary machine operations.

In rotary-feeding devices of the second type the torque and feeding efforts are limited, due to the slippage of chuck jaws. The rotary table and chucks are very complicated in design. Furthermore, some additional time is required for the return motion of the chuck, as well as for clamping and releasing the drilling rod.

And, finally, rotary-feeding devices of the third type are characterized by unfavorable conditions under which drilling motors work, with difiiculty in supplying the latter with power, as well as by the necessity to have a bulky and heavy mast along which a rotary table performs a forward motion, the torque from said rotary table being transmitted through the mast to the main frame of the rig.

The above circumstances call for the use of a low mast and short drilling rods; when using short rods much time is spent on auxiliary operations.

Summing up, the disadvantages common to all known rotary-feeding devices of drilling rigs, are the complexity of their design, difficulties in automating basic operations, the heavy weight of the devices, and difliculty in carrying out. inclination drilling.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a rotary-feeding device for drilling rigs, having a relatively ice small weight and making it possible to relieve the mast of torque, as well as to decrease the amount of time necessary for performing auxiliary operations.

This object is achieved by using a device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stern for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs with a rotary table disposed in the lower part of the rig, said rotary table having actuating cylinders for feeding the drilling stem to the face, and a mast with a pulley for pulling up drilling rods. According to the present invention, the mast is supported in guides for longitudinal reciprocation by means of actuating cylinders and is so arranged as to accommodate the drilling stem and to transmit to the latter a feeding effort with the help of a thrust mechanism so placed at the upper end of the drilling stem as to provide for an unimpeded pulling up of the latter.

The feeding effort is transmitted to the drilling stem by means of jaws, rigidly fixed on the inside of the mast, during their interaction with the thrust mechanism. The jaws are disposed throughout the whole length of the mast at a distance equal to the feeding pitch.

The mast is hollow and of a rectangular cross-section.

The thrust mechanism has a system of draw bars connected with a rope and spring-mounted dogs. These springmountecl dogs are hinged to the thrust mechanism body and are fixed in operating position for engagement with the jaws during the feeding of the drilling stem, and pivotally displaced to inoperative position during pulling up of the latter.

Along its whole length the mast has a slit, in which moves a connecting pipe for the passage of compressed air, said pipe being coupled with a swivel and preventing the thrust mechanism from slippage.

Each of the jaws has an inner cylindrical surface serving as the guide for a drilling rod.

Actuating cylinders are connected directly with the mast.

The invention will be more apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof given with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the proposed device;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on enlarged scale taken along lines A-A in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross section on enlarged scale through the thrust mechanism coupled with a swivel.

Mast 1 is secured by means of hinge 2 to the underframe of a drilling rig (not shown in the drawing) and may be deflected from the vertical position by actuating cylinder 3. Mast 1 has guides 4, in which a movable mast 5 is mounted. Mast 5 can be moved in opposite direction in guides 4 by two actuating cylinders 6. Rods 7 of cylinders 6 are coupled with movable mast S, as shown in FIG. 1.

Rods 7 of actuating cylinders 6 may be made stationary, whereas bodies 8 of said cylinders may be made movable relative to said rods and connected with mast 5.

To reduce the friction forces developing during the movement of mast 5 in guides 4 of mast 1, frictionreducing elements, e.g. rollers (not shown in the drawing), are placed between mast 5 and guides 4.

Movable mast 5 comprises two channel bars 9 (FIG. 2) forming a hollow duct, on whose inner side jaws 19 are rigidly fixed at a distance corresponding to the feeding pitch of actuating cylinders 6.

Mast 5 may be a welded assembly of pipes, angles e'.c.

Housed inside mast 5 is stem 11 of drilling rods, on whose upper end swivel 12 is screwed, coupled with thrust mechanism 13. Thrust mechanism 13 is connected with the end of rope 14 of winch 15 mounted on the underframe wound on a drilling rig.

The rotary motion is transmitted to stem 11 of drilling rods through hollow shaft 16 of rotary table 17, said hollow shaft having a square section.

Thrust mechanism 13 (FIG. 3) coupled with swivel 12 consists of body 18, adapter 19 with holes 20 for feeding air to the space of the drilling rods, said adapter being mounted in body 18 on bearings 21 and receiving the efforts of pressing upon the face and of lifting the drilling stem by its thrust bearing 22. Placed between bearings 21 and 22 are spacing sleeves 23, the required tension between said sleeves and bearings 21 and 22 being regulated by nut 24 with thrust washer 25 and check washer 26. For keeping adapter 19 in body 18 as well as for adjusting thrust bearing 22, a nut 27 is provided, said nut 27 being secured in body 18 by screw 28 and having a notch for packing 29 which is tightened by lid 30. There is a conical thread in the lower part of adapter 19.

Rigidly connected to body 18 is air-supply connecting pipe 31 preventing thrust mechanism 13 from slippage with stem 11 owing to the pressure of slit 32 (FIG. 2) in the wall of mast throughout its whole length, connecting pipe 31 entering said slit 32.

Mounted on axle 33 of body 18 are dogs 34, which may turn around said axle until they come into contact with each other in the upper retracted position, and until they abut against body 18 in the lower extended position.

The turning of dogs 34 is carried out with the help of gibs 35 connected with dogs 34 and with rod 36, the latter having a spring 37 and a lug 38 for fixing the end of rope 14 (FIG. 1)

Placed in the upper part of body 18 (FIG. 3) is guide cone 39 with hollow 40 for spring 37 and with a hole for the passage of rod 36.

The work begins with the activation of rotary table 17. Mast 5, moving with the help of actuating cylinders 6 in guides 4, grips with jaws 10, dogs 34 of thrust mechanism 13, coupled with swivel 12 and screwed with the help of adapter 19 onto the face end of drilling stem 11, and transmits the feeding effort. Simultaneously, jaws center drilling stem 11 and prevent it from buckling.

For the latter purpose each of the jaws is provided with inner cylindrical surface 41 (FIG. 2) serving as a guide for the drilling stem.

After each feeding pitch of actuating cylinder 6, mast 5 is moved upwards one pitch by the extension of rods 7 until the dogs 34 come into engagement with the next lower pair of jaws 10, the latter jaws of the mast 5 passing the dogs 34 by inward rotation of the latter on axle 33 while compressing the spring 37. After the jaws have passed the dogs, the spring 37 acts to extend the dogs until they abut body 18. After that the process is repeated.

The pulling up of drilling stem 11, with dogs 34 retracted to upper inoperative position 'by means of rod 36 and gibs 35, is carried out by winch 15, whose rope 14 passes over guide pulley 42 mounted in the upper part of the mast.

We claim:

1. A device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stem for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs, comprising: a stationary mast including guides; a movable mast having an upper end and a pulley thereon for supporting a tension member for pulling up a drilling stem, said movable mast being mounted in said guides for longitudinal reciprocation movement; a rot-ary table disposed in the lower part of said stationary mast; actuating cylinders coupled to said movable mast to move the same; a swivel adapted for being mounted on the upper end of said drilling stern; a thrust mechanism coupled with said swivel and having retracted and extended positions; said movable mast including means engageable with said thrust mechanism in the extended position to transmit feeding effort to said drilling stem via said thrust mechanism, said thrust mechanism in the retracted position enabling unimpeded pulling up of the drilling stem.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which said actuaating cylinders are connected directly with said movable mast.

3. A device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stem for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs, comprising: a stationary mast including guides; a movable hollow mast having an upper end and a pulley thereon for supporting a tension member for pulling up a drilling stem, said movable mast being mounted in said guides for longitudinal reciprocation movement; a rotary table disposed in the lower part of said stationary mast; actuating cylinders coupled to said stationary mast and to said movable mast to move the latter; a swivel adapted for being mounted on the upper end of said drilling stem; jaws rigidy fixed on the inside of said movable mast throughout the whole length thereof at a distance corresponding to a feeding pitch for the drilling stern; a thrust mechanism coupled with said swivel and having retracted and extended positions, said thrust mechanism in the extended position being engageable with said jaws, to provide for the feeding of the drilling stem under the action of downward movement of the movable mast, whereas in the retracted position enabling unimpeded pulling up of said drilling stem.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said jaws has an inner cylindrical surface serving as a guide for the drilling stem.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 in which said movable mast is hollow.

6. A device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stem for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs, comprising: a stationary mast including guides; a movable hollow mast of a rectangular cross section, having an upper end and a pulley thereon for supporting a tension member for pulling up a drilling stem, said movable mast being mounted in said guides for longitudinal reciprocation movement; a rotary table disposed in the lower part of said stationary mast; hydraulic cylinders coupled to said stationary mast and engaging said movable mast to move the same; a swivel adapted for being mounted on the upper end of said drilling stern; jaws rigidly fixed on the inside of said movable mast throughout the entire length thereof at spaced locations corresponding to a feeding pitch for the drilling stem; a thrust mechanism coupled with said swivel and adapted for connection with said tension member, said thrust mechanism including spring-mounted dogs and a system of draw bars, said dogs having an operative extended position for engaging said jaws to provide feeding the drilling stem under the action of downward movement of the movable mast, and an inoperative retracted position enabling pulling up of the drilling stem by the tension member.

7. A device for the rotation and feeding of a drilling stem for rotary and percussive-rotary drilling rigs, comprising: a stationary mast including guides; a movable hollow mast of rectangular cross section having an upper end and a pulley thereon for supporting a tension member for pulling up a drilling stern, said movable mast being mounted in said guides for longitudinal reciprocation movement; a rotary table disposed in the lower part of said stationary mast; hydraulic cylinders mounted on said stationary mast and coupled to said movable mast to move the same; a swivel adapted for being mounted on the upper end of said drilling stem and having a connecting pipe for the supply of compressed air; said movable mast being provided with a slit throughout the entire length thereof; said connecting pipe being engageable in and movable along said slit; jaws rigidly fixed on the inside of said movable mast throughout the entire length thereof at spaced lo- 5 6 cations corresponding to a feeding pitch of the drilling References Cited stem; a thrust mechanism coupled with said swivel and UNITED STATES PATENTS adapted for connection with said tension member, said thrust mechanism including spring-mounted dogs and a 2,200,075 5/ 1940 Caldwell 173-448 system of draw bars, said dogs having an operative ex- 5 2,451,223 9 8 OhanScn 173-448 tended position for engaging said jaws to provide feed- 3,228,487 1/ 1966 Failing 173-152 ing of the drilling stem under the action of downward movement of the movable mast, and an inoperative re- FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

tracted position enabling pulling up of the drilling stem by the tension memben 10 L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR THE ROTATION AND FEEDING OF A DRILLING STEM FOR ROTARY AND PERCUSSIVE-ROTARY DRILLING RIGS, COMPRISING: A STATIONARY MAST INCLUDING GUIDES; A MOVABLE MAST HAVING AN UPPER AND A PULLEY THEREON FOR SUPPORTING A TENSION MEMBER FOR PULLING UP A DRILLING STEM, SAID MOVABLE MAST BEING MOUNTED IN SAID GUIDES FOR LONGITUDINAL RECIPROCATION MOVEMENT; A ROTARY TABLE DISPOSED IN THE LOWER PART OF SAID STATIONARY MAST; ACTUATING CYLINDERS COUPLED TO SAID MOVABLE MAST TO MOVE THE SAME; A SWIVEL ADAPTED FOR BEING MOUNTED 